The Sundering

Valor

Valor is a kingdom of knights and kings, royalty and peasants. It is an old land and one that has grown from several feudal areas into several powerful cities that through blood ties – marriages, fosterages, and occasionally skirmishes united into a kingdom.

The land itself varies from temperate climate on the southern border to a barren frozen wasteland in the north, but with mineral wealth. The kingdom is large in size, and not all of the area is permanently settled, and it makes travel, and trade difficult. Many people do not travel far from where they are born, and even of those that do, few ever leave the borders of Valor.

Most trade is done by river, and occasionally by road. The roads of Valor are potentially dangerous: the roads are not well built, and monsters, bandits, raiders from Morlan or Arlien are all threats on the roads.

The threats of Morlan has been a consistent threat on Valor’s eastern boarder, and through an alliance with Liaha have raids been reduced for both countries.

The Valorians and Liahans found an understanding when a young Savan Tridegen, king of Liaha was rescued from Morlan attack from a group of Valorians. The code of Valor – Virtue, Honor, Strength, and Nobility – demanded that the Valorians intervene and fought with him against a common foe. The gesture was not forgotten, and a the roots for a strong alliance were planted on that day.

The young Liahan king saw a country of knights and kings, royalty and peasants that resembled his own upbringing. Since then the paths of the two countries have diverged a bit, but the alliance remains strong, as does the friendship. Valor remains much like it once was, while Liaha sees its people with greater mobility (both physical and social) and self determination.

Many nobles have fostered their children between the two countries, further developing the bond between the two lands.

The royal family has held onto power for several generations, passing down the crown typically to the eldest son.

The king’s power is strongest in the central and southern part of the kingdom, where the threats of conflict from the east, or the west have kept most of the nobles from any brazen shenanigans, it is not unheard of for political maneuvers and machinations to be going on at nearly any time.

Each city follows the king’s laws as they are interpreted by the local lord, and by how likely it is for the king to arrive to enforce the laws.